Page 33: of Marine News Magazine (November 2024)

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SES evolution

Over the years there have been issues with SES vessels, such as problematic lift fans and dif? cult skirt replacements.

Jardine said there has been an evolution with SES vessels. “We now have much more reliable lift fan system, as well as an activated damper system. We can now replace the skirts with the boat in the water. We don’t need to go into a dry dock to do this type of work.”

There is a high degree of automation. “These vessels are more or less like ? y by wire on water,” he said. “I say that be- cause we essentially have computer con- trols to run things that used to take four people to do when the SES ? rst came out. It’s a smart system where it auto- matically varies the air bag to the condi- tions, which increases the reliability and improves the ride characteristics.”

Jardine said the boat runs very smoothly at 47 knots. “It has great performance. And this is a real-world boat; not a concept or a PowerPoint presentation.”

The computerized ride control sys- tem uses high-speed actuators to cor- rect changes in pitch and heave. The active dampers reduce vertical accel- eration signi? cantly.

“When it goes on cushion, it takes out the motion,” Jardine said. “For weapons and things like that, it makes a big dif- ference, just like it does for people.”

The system is in use now in the off- shore wind business for crew transfer vessels (CTV) and very soon will begin service in oil and gas, where customers value reduction in motion for a safer, smoother ride. “In some sea environ- ments you have rough seas, and moving 235,141 people to and from platforms and rigs encounters a lot of seasickness,” Jardine www.marinelink.com MN 33|